Public lecture podcasts
395 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★ - 5 ratingsThe University of Bath podcasts are a series of public lectures available to download for free.
Enhance your understanding of subjects ranging from how babies develop to the workings of the universe. Learn from academics and business and industry experts.
The University of Bath is a leading UK insitution. We offer a distinctive blend of research-led teaching, an outstanding graduate employment record and personal development opportunties.
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Episodes
Professor Simon Wood inaugual lecture: Lies, damned lies, and statistics
April 09, 2009 00:00 - 40 minutes - 18.6 MBProfessor Simon Wood from the University of Bath talks about smoothing, letting data speak without telling it what to say.
How the mind controls the body
April 03, 2009 00:00 - 47 minutes - 21.7 MBDr Momna Hejmadi, from the University of Bath, explores some of the non-conventional patterns of behaviour and links them to how the brain works.
The Holburne museum and its plans for the future
April 01, 2009 00:00 - 47 minutes - 22 MBDr Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne Museum, talks about its plans for the future. He gives an insight into what visitors will be able to see in the renewed museum and the ways in which the development will allow it to play its part to the full in the cultural life of the city and region.
Protecting and preserving historic buildings from earthquakes
March 30, 2009 00:00 - 29 minutes - 13.3 MBHow vulnerable are our historic buildings to earthquakes and how can we preserve them from seismic tremors? Dr Dina D'Ayala from the University's Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering discusses the development of methods to protect and preserve historic buildings from seismic damage.
Recreating earthquakes in a laboratory
March 30, 2009 00:00 - 25 minutes - 11.8 MBProfessor Andrew Plummer, Director of the Centre for Power Transmission and Motion Control, discusses recreating earthquakes in a laboratory to test how buildings perform under extreme conditions.
How William and Caroline Herschel invented modern astronomy
March 27, 2009 00:00 - 47 minutes - 21.6 MBMichael Lemonick, a freelance science journalist from Princeton University, looks at the discoveries of William and Caroline Herschel.
The hidden universe
March 25, 2009 00:00 - 1 hour - 28.1 MBDr Glen Patrick. of Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxford, talks about how it's possible to probe the hidden universe and what particle physics can tell us about its secrets.
Professor Richard Whitman inaugural lecture: Brussels - a 21st century superpower
March 09, 2009 00:00 - 1 hour - 27.6 MBProfessor Richard Whitman from the Department of European Studies & Modern Languages discusses Muscles from Brussels: a 21st Century Superpower. Where does the EU fit in global politics? How do we explain the role that the EU currently plays within international politics and what is the impact of a developing international role for the EU on its member states' foreign security and defence policies?
What can we do about English spelling
March 06, 2009 00:00 - 56 minutes - 25.8 MBProfessor John Wells from the Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Science Research Department at University College London discusses whether we are wasting time on irregular spellings and holding our children back with spelling tests.
Professor Peter Walker inaugural lecture: Grow your own building
February 20, 2009 00:00 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MBProfessor Peter Walker discusses research into new ways of using traditional building materials such as earth, hemp and straw as a greener choice for modern construction. Professor Walker is Director of the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials at the University.
Nanotechnology
February 17, 2009 00:00 - 47 minutes - 21.9 MBRichard Jones, professor of Physics at the University of Sheffield, looks at how we can manipulate matter at the level of individual atoms and molecules and the possible impact this will have on advances of medicine, energy and information technology.
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Two loves I have of comfort and despair
February 09, 2009 00:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBWriter and journalist Nicholas Fogg, sheds light on the historical conundrums of Shakespeare's sonnets. The sonnets represent one of the great literary enigmas and have given rise to endless speculation and debate.
Bee decline - Countdown to catastrophe?
February 04, 2009 00:00 - 41 minutes - 19 MBStuart Roberts, research fellow at the University of Reading, discusses the decline of bees and its effect on the environment. Evidence is presented on the state and trends of bees, the likely drivers of change and the possible long term effects.
Paracetamol and over-the-counter medicines - How safe are they?
February 02, 2009 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBThis lecture looks at medicines available over the counter from pharmacies as well as those available from supermarkets, grocery stores and garages. Trained pharmacist Denise Taylor discusses readily available medicines and how safe they are.
Stories and visions of Stonehenge
January 30, 2009 00:00 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MBRoger Vlitos, writer and photographer, discusses how Stonehenge has been seen in every age, from its first appearance in medieval manuscripts to the present day.
Engineering a better quality of older life
January 28, 2009 00:00 - 1 hour - 29.8 MBProfessor Tom Kirkwood, Director of the Institute for Ageing and Health at Newcastle University, explores how the ageing process is influenced by a broad range of lifestyle and environmental factors
Reading for life
January 26, 2009 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBDr Jane Davis tells stories about the value of great books in ordinary lives. Jane left school at 16 with 2 GCSEs but now leads an organisation which wants a bigger place in the nation's heart for books and reading. Later in life she returned to education and graduated with a 1st class degree in English and spent 3 years writing a PhD.
Measuring wellbeing and sustainability
October 23, 2008 00:00 - 26 minutes - 12 MBProfessor Anil Markandya, from the Department of Economics & International Development, gives the Charter Day lecture in which he explores more sophisticated ways of measuring a country's wellbeing than just looking at GDP; these include assessing its ecological footprint, rating in the Corruption Perception Index and number of happy life years. Using these techniques, there are some surprising winners and losers.
From cathedrals to cars and planes: representations in engineering design
July 15, 2008 00:00 - 54 minutes - 25.1 MBProfessor Chris McMahon, from the University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, considers some of the most complex design challenges faced by engineers through the ages, from designing ships in the 17th century, to the modern computer-assisted design of cars and planes
Regenerative medicine: from stem cells to lab-grown tissues and beyond
June 13, 2008 00:00 - 45 minutes - 20.8 MBProfessor Melanie Welham and Dr Paul De Bank from the University's department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology talk about stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
Improving health and healthcare
May 20, 2008 00:00 - 1 hour - 33 MBProfessor Chris Eccleston, Dr Linda Bauld and Professor Chris Garland talk about their research and how it is helping to improve health and healthcare.
How the human genome project reveals our evolutionary past
March 11, 2008 00:00 - 46 minutes - 21.2 MBDr Steve Dorus from the Department of Biology & Biochemistry reveals how cataloguing the DNA blueprint of humans is revealing the evolution of human traits.
The utility of force
November 26, 2007 00:00 - 1 hour - 27.5 MBGeneral Sir Rupert Smith, the general who commanded the British Armoured Division in the first Gulf war and led the UN protection force in Bosnia, questions how military force is used to solve political problems.
William Herschel Society lecture 2007: Radio astronomy at Jodrell Bank
November 20, 2007 00:00 - 57 minutes - 26.5 MBProfessor Phil Diamond, Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, talks about the research activities at the observatory, home to one of the world's biggest and most powerful radio telescopes.
The history of death and dying
November 19, 2007 00:00 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBProfessor Allan Kellehear, Professor of Sociology at the University of Bath's Centre for Death & Society, gives an overview of the changing attitudes and behaviour of human beings and other hominids in their response to death, dying and loss over the last two million years.
Physical activity, obesity and health
November 14, 2007 00:00 - 1 hour - 27.6 MBProfessor Steven Blair, from the University of South Carolina, USA, talks about the causes of the obesity epidemic in the US, the relationship between weight and fitness levels, and the importance of physical activity in a healthy lifestyle.
Lowering our carbon footprint
October 24, 2007 00:00 - 51 minutes - 23.7 MBProfessor Geoff Hammond, Director of the interdisciplinary International Centre for the Environment (ICE) at the University of Bath, looks at the global challenges and local opportunities for lowering our carbon footprint.
Professor Tamas Szekely inuagural lecture: Conflict and cooperation in the family life of birds
October 13, 2007 00:00 - 19 minutes - 8.8 MBIn this Charter Day lecture, Professor Tamas Szekely, from the University of Bath's Department of Biology & Biochemistry, talks about conflict and cooperation in the family life of birds.
The science of the swerving free kick
October 10, 2007 00:00 - 41 minutes - 18.8 MBDr Ken Bray, from the Sport & Exercise Science group in the University's School for Health, reveals the science behind the swerving free kick, using scientific videos and match footage.
Fifty years since Sputnik - Piers Bizony
October 08, 2007 00:00 - 48 minutes - 22.2 MBAward-winning space historian, Piers Bizony, presents an illustrated account of the Space Age, from the first tiny satellites to America's colossal project to land men on the moon.
Rocks, water but no life?
July 31, 2007 00:00 - 55 minutes - 25.6 MBPhilippe Blondel from the University's Centre for Space, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences takes a planetary journey through the solar system and discusses whether the discovery of water means there must be life on other planets
Saiful Islam Inaugural lecture: Clean energy materials: Crystal gazing on the atomic scale
April 25, 2007 00:00 - 52 minutes - 24.2 MBProfessor Saiful Islam, of the University's Department of Chemistry, gives a flavour of the fascinating chemistry behind green technologies such as hybrid petrol-electric cars and fuel cells.
Paul Stallard Inaugural lecture: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with children and young people
April 18, 2007 00:00 - 51 minutes - 23.8 MBPaul Stallard, Professor of Child & Family Mental Health at the University of Bath and a chartered clinical psychologist with the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Care Partnership Trust, describes CBT, its use with children and young people and takes a critical look at its future use.
Evolution & the social sciences
March 14, 2007 00:00 - 2 hours - 56.1 MBLeading figures from a range of social science disciplines discuss whether the theory of natural selection has anything to offer present-day students of cultures and societies.
Issues in foreign policy: Changes in world power
February 23, 2007 00:00 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBLord Rees-Mogg, former Editor of The Times, gives a free public lecture on the changing international scene.
The man in the woollen mask
February 21, 2007 00:00 - 43 minutes - 19.8 MBDr Adrian Scott, from the University's Department of Psychology, considers the fallibility of human memory and how past experience and knowledge of the world influence recollection.
Vortex flows: from insects to aircraft
January 31, 2007 00:00 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MBProfessor Ismet Gursul talks about his research into the most efficient wing structure for a tiny aircraft. He has found this is similar to the structure of insect wings.
Religion and conflict in Northern Ireland
January 08, 2007 00:00 - 1 hour - 40.5 MBDuncan Morrow shares his experiences of working in the community, including as Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, which funds and develops inter-community relations practice and policy in Northern Ireland.
Paddy Ashdown: Building nations after war
November 23, 2006 00:00 - 1 hour - 32.5 MBLord Paddy Ashdown - former High Representative in the successful reconstruction of Bosnia and a former leader of the Liberal Democrats - severely criticises the reconstruction of Iraq, calling it a 'catastrophic failure' in which 'daily carnage' is taking place. This lecture was organised by the University of Bath and the Royal Society of the Arts.
Life and death in the Neolithic Cotswolds
November 22, 2006 00:00 - 54 minutes - 25 MBDr Nick Snashall, National Trust archaeologist for Avebury, describes how a fresh look at the Neolithic Cotswolds brings to light how its people lived their lives.
Listening to global women's voices: Reflections on interfaith dialogue
November 06, 2006 00:00 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MBProfessor Ursula King talks about how women across the world are reinterpreting their religious traditions through dialogue with people from different faiths.
Why creationism is wrong and evolution is right
November 06, 2006 00:00 - 59 minutes - 27.1 MBSteve Jones, professor of genetics at University College London, describes why he believes that creationism is wrong and evolution is right at a lecture organised by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bath.
From Rasputin to Putin and back again
November 01, 2006 00:00 - 38 minutes - 15.4 MBProfessor David Gillespie, from the University of Bath's Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, explores Russian culture and the country's search for a national identity.
Astronomy and poetry
October 18, 2006 00:00 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MBWorld-renowned physicist, Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, looks at how poetry portrays astronomy.
William Herschel Society lecture 2006: The extraordinary life of John Herschel
September 14, 2006 00:00 - 1 hour - 36.6 MBThe 2006 Herschel lecture by Professor Brian Warner, University of Cape Town, explores the life of John Herschel, described as the 'first modern scientist', and the son of Bath's famous astronomer William Herschel.